Famous Handshakes

REAGAN WHITE HOUSE

I worked in the Reagan White House for two years (1985-1987), writing reports, helping with the President's Daily Brief, the National Intelligence Daily, the Situation Room Daily Summary, and other communication pieces. Prior to this photo, I had stayed awake for three more hours after my 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift had ended, and was ready for sleep when Pres. Reagan came through to say hello and thanks. There was wonderful positive magic in Washington back in those days.

REAGAN WHITE HOUSE

Vice President George Bush trusted only the CIA reps in the Situation Room, and whenever he'd call, he asked for one of us. Me being CIA helped a friendship and mutual respect develop. He stopped by one day to say hi, thanks, and what's the latest? My knowledge of his involvement in the Iran-Contra affair cost me my job at the White House, but I knew he was running for president and that information could be damaging so I kept my mouth shut ... even for the polygraph exam.

Glenn Beck was in Salt Lake City in December 2007 for a book signing and his annual Christmas show. We stopped by to say hello and I told him, "If you hold my book, I'll hold yours!" He said he already had a copy, and was happy to hold it aloft. Pictured here (l-r), Kathy Skousen (wife), Paul Skousen, Glenn Beck, Harold Skousen (brother).

In August 2007, Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani stopped in Utah for a fund raiser. Our favorite comment was his declaration that the U.S. President and executive branch have no real business delving into issues that belong on the state level such as abortion and gay marriage.

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) has been fighting the good fight since 1976. He's a great patriot who works night and day to slow the tide of destructive thinking that has invaded Washington. Pictured here, both of us trying to compete for the best power tie, sideburns, and an image of relaxed, powerful pose. I think I won -- I had the sweater vest.

Lee Redmond is in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest fingernails in the world. I had to check them out in 2004. Sure enough, 31+ inches on average. She's a delightful friend who shares her interesting story with youth all over the state and country about judgementalism and the value of the individual. She vowed to cut these off before she becomes too old to care for herself, and has been offered $100,000 per fingernail. How's that for scratching out a retirement?

Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali of Jordan granted me an hour of his time to talk about the prospects of peace in the Middle East. He was the architect of the peace agreement between Israel and Jordan that was signed in 2004.

Ollie North and I were both pretty hammered after the Iran-Contra affair in 1987. He had lost a lot of weight, and I lost a lot of wait after being banned from the White House and cast out into a small cubicle assignment at CIA headquarters. We met up at an awards banquet and met with a hug. He's a great friend, a great patriot, and a great spokesman for those values that keep America safe and strong.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and I met up after the widely-publicized debate between Shaun Hannity and Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson in 2007. It was a great evening, a revealing exposure of nonsense that continues to erode the effectiveness of good local government and the efforts of the Bush White House to accomplish a near-impossible task.

Doug Wright is one of the premier broadcaster/commentators in Salt Lake City. His show runs mornings on KSL. He invited me to stop by and talk about "Brother Paul's Mormon Bathroom Reader" in 2005.

Mr. El Baas, the senior political advisor to Egypt's President Mubarak granted me a good two hours in his office in 2006 to talk about the prospects of peace in the Middle East. He was kind, gracious, and could talk with clarity and plainness at about 300 words a minute. We had a great time in his office at the Presidential Palace in Cairo.

Ron Paul, running for president in 2007, stopped by the office during a fund-raiser to Utah. I told him he was highly spoken of in our home for his defense of the Constitution, and we counted him one of the family. He said my father's works were cited so often in his home, that he considered us part of his family!

Richard Dutcher is a remarkable film maker whose works achieve a wonderfully satisfying balance of message, principle and emotion. He and I temporally worked together for the same enterprise in Provo, and he was kind enough to pause in his hectic schedule for a greeting and hello. His films include God's Army, Brigham City, States of Grace, Falling, Evil Angel, and others in process. Pictured here (l-r) Elisabeth Skousen (daughter), Kathy Skousen (wife), Richard Dutcher, Paul Skousen.

Bob Lonsberry is more than just a great friend, he's a co-conspirator in our secret plan to reclaim America from the socialists. Bob hosts the best drive-time call-in talk show each week day ... the perfect warm-up before Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh get on the air. Bob has authored several books, writes delightful columns every day, and hosts his radio show from Rochester, NY that is broadcast in Utah over KNRS 570AM. We met up at Cedar Fort Publishing for a book signing. Cedar Fort handles several books for Bob and myself (l-r), Bob Lonsberry, Lyle Mortimer (Cedar Fort Publishing's CEO and founder), Paul Skousen.

Ray Johnson loves construction and has done it all his life. But during his off hours, he has the well-deserved title of World's Best Fisherman. Using a lure that he invented when he was only 11 years old, Ray and his family have caught more than 200 world-record-sized fish. They were inducted into the National and World Fishing Hall of Fame, have been featured many widely-read magazines such as People Magazine, Argosy, Sports Afield, and others. Ray continues to pull in the big monsters no matter where he goes. He also is the survivor of some amazing and difficult events in his life, and for a while, he was known as the Hermit of Lake Powell when he spent several years living in a cave for 9 months out of the year! He's a great friend with a lot of tall tales to tell, and all of them true.